Saddling up

After her night off on Tuesday it was time to do something with BG last night and I chose the saddle again. As before she was very good having it put on, obviously not overly happy but didn’t move away or tense up too much. I put it on her in her field shelter so, once on, we had our usual argument over walking out the door. Eventually she made her way out but once out was in a very stubborn mood, turning her neck to pull against me as she wanted to go back home. We walked it out of her. When she plants herself she will swing her hind-legs round to ensure she is facing home. With a hold on her head collar turning her head the way you want her to go (away from home) and a hand pointing at her bottom (with a nudge or a click if needed) she will then turn round and walk as she should. She is getting a little faster on her response to this now. She plants herself, you turn her head and go to point at her bottom and she is already moving forward.

Walked her round and she was being less headstrong than she has been recently. The lead rope was slack and she was behaving much better. Occasionally her ears even flicked forwards and back rather than remaining pinned right back. It takes getting over the initial stubborn mood before she will start to relax.

Unfortunately, just as I was about to call it a day something spooked her forward. I thought at once it must have been the stirrup dropping down the leather on the far side as she was trying to get away from that side, but it was still all in place so I am not totally sure what it was. She walked on nicely again, past her field shelter without pushing me trying to get back in there, and then she did the spook again (but not as violently).

I don’t know what upset her, but both times she did not try and break totally free and waited for me to move back up to her head and check her over. Either, the things she is spooky at are becoming less scary, or she is learning that nothing bad will happen and so she calms herself down quicker. I am hoping it is the latter.